Teach Yourself VISUALLY MacBook Pro & MacBook Air. Guy Hart-Davis

      If the wireless network uses a password, your MacBook prompts you to enter it.

      

Type the password in the Password box.

       If you want to see the characters of the password to help you type it, click Show password ( changes to ).

       If you do not want your MacBook to remember this wireless network for future use, deselect () Remember this network.

      

Click Join.

      Your MacBook connects to the wireless network, and you can start using network resources.

       The number of arcs on the Wi-Fi status icon () indicates the strength of the connection, and ranges from one arc to four arcs.

       To see more details about the wireless network, press + click Wi-Fi status () on the menu bar.

       The network’s details appear, including the physical mode, the wireless channel, and the security type.

      Tips

      How do I disconnect from a wireless network?

      When you have finished using a wireless network, you can disconnect from it by turning Wi-Fi off. Click Wi-Fi status () on the menu bar and then set the Wi-Fi switch to Off ().

      What kind of Wi-Fi network do I need for my MacBook?

      Wi-Fi networks use several different standards. As of this writing, the latest standard that MacBook models support is 802.11ax, which provides very fast data rates. Your MacBook can also use older Wi-Fi standards, such as 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n, so you can use most Wi-Fi networks. If your wireless router is several years old, look into upgrading to a newer model, as it may provide a substantial increase in speed.

Give Commands

The easiest ways to give commands in macOS are by using the menus and the toolbar. You can also give commands by pressing keyboard shortcuts.

      The menu bar at the top of the window shows the Apple menu () on the left followed by the menus for the active app. Any open window can have a toolbar, usually across its top but sometimes elsewhere in the window.

      Give Commands

      Give a Command from a Menu

      

On the Dock, click the app you want to activate — Finder () in this example.

      Note: You can also click the app’s window if you can see it.

      

On the menu bar, click the menu you want to open.

      The menu opens.

      

Click the command you want to give.

      The app performs the action associated with the command.

      Choose Among Groups of Features on a Menu

      

On the Dock, click the app you want to activate — Finder () in this example.

      

On the menu bar, click the menu you want to open.

      The app opens the menu.

      

Click the option you want to use.

      The app activates the feature you selected.

      Give a Command from a Toolbar

      

On the Dock, click the app you want to activate — Finder () in this example.

      

Click the button for the command on the toolbar, or click a pop-up menu and then click the menu item for the command.

      The app performs the action associated with the toolbar button or menu item.

      Choose Among Groups of Features on a Toolbar

      

On the Dock, click the app you want to activate — Finder () in this example.

      

In the group of buttons, click the button you want to choose.

       The app highlights the button you clicked to indicate that the feature is turned on.

       The app removes highlighting from the button that was previously selected.

      Tip

      Is it better to use the menus or the toolbar?

      If the toolbar contains the command you need, using the toolbar is usually faster